


Absolution for a Magnolia

by Evensongforaserpent



Category: Ghost (Sweden Band)
Genre: Erotica, Eventual Smut, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Slow Burn, Smut, Witchcraft, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 23:21:51
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,252
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26247094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evensongforaserpent/pseuds/Evensongforaserpent
Summary: After a terrifying ritual accident kills her friend and colleague, Anna decides she's done with the world of ceremonial magic and plans to lead a normal, rum punch-filled life in New Orleans. That is until she's offered a substantial contract to join the ranks of the Clergy. Anna soon finds herself drawn into the mysteries and intrigues of the Church... and into the orbit of an unusual Cardinal.
Relationships: Cardinal Copia/Original Character(s), Cardinal Copia/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 5





	Absolution for a Magnolia

Summers in New Orleans are always deliciously painful. The air hangs perpetually rich with moisture, like a wet blanket over the whole city. Some days the blistering sun seems to reach down to personally tap on the shoulder of anyone who dares to leave their home. Other days the warm rain pours and pours until the clouds have cried themselves to sleep. The whole city, which already meanders at its own pace, slows to the crawl of molasses. 

But even in this dire heat, New Orleans still offers her finest jewels: blossoming flowers along the grand homes of St. Charles Avenue, the swirl of crisp white linen in the breeze, the bittersweet taste of Sazerac, and the faint sound of a trumpet floating through the window.

It was an especially sweltering Saturday in July, but the Garden District was bustling with life. Restaurants and bars were maxed out accommodating the brunch crowds. A saxophonist played on the street corner, as the swathes of people along the sidewalk thinned and thickened, occasionally stopping to drop a few coins in his bucket. 

In the midst of it all, Anna Andreasson, once one of the most promising witches and necromancers in North America, sat at a bar on Magazine Street and ordered her third cocktail of the afternoon.

“And for you, ma’am? Anything else?”

“A corpse reviver, please.” Anna grinned slightly to herself. It was a drink order that always made her giggle. Across the table, her best friend Estelle, lifted a single eyebrow. The waiter sped off to the bar.

“Very funny.” 

“You know I can never resist,” said Anna as she reclined slightly in her chair and briefly shut her eyes. Ella Fitzgerald crooned “My Funny Valentine” from the nearby speakers. The gentle buzz of the restaurant felt almost hypnotic. 

Estelle leaned forward, placing her elbows on the table and clasped her hands together. 

“I’ve had at least three people ask me this week if you’re returning to the Order. Hans must be running his mouth again.”

Anna groaned.

“I don’t think he’s capable of keeping things to himself. I told him I needed more time to think about it.” It was true, she had received yet another offer to return to the Order. Unfortunately, the offer was delivered by Hans, a sorcerer whose immense talents in herbology were only eclipsed by his enormous ego. 

Estelle sighed and rested her chin on her still-clasped hands. 

“Anna… I know it’s a difficult decision, but maybe spending more time around our kind of people would be good for you. It's not like you have to go back into ceremonial work. There's plenty of other specializations. Besides, are you really going to tell me you love working in accounting?”

Before Anna could respond, she felt the hair prickle on the back of her neck. The music faded off unnaturally, but it seemed only she and Estelle noticed. The women locked eyes briefly before turning their attention out the window. 

It was just standing there, unmoving, across the street. 

The all-black leather suit and horned silver mask stood out among the colorful surroundings, yet it seemed invisible to the passersby. The eyes were imperceptible, but its focus was clearly upon them. A chill ran down Anna’s spine as it turned its head ever so slightly to lock its gaze with hers. The connection lasted an eternity within only a few seconds. Estelle muttered an expletive under her breath.

“Ladies, here’s your drinks!” announced the waiter. The sounds and smells of the restaurant seemed to roar back to life instantaneously.

“Oh! Thank you!” Anna chirped, just a little too brightly to be natural. 

Before he could even set Anna’s drink on the table, Estelle had thrown her entire glass back in a single chug. She stretched her lips into a tight smile. 

“We’re going to need another round.” 

Across the street, the sidewalk stood empty. 

***

As they walked out to the corner to go their separate ways, Estelle pressed Anna one more time. “You’re absolutely positive you don’t want to stay with me tonight?” 

“I’ll be fine,” Anna reassured her. “I’m going to set some extra protections around the house. Besides it could have been nothing. Maybe he was passing through the neighborhood…?” 

Estelle scoffed. 

“It felt pretty fucking intentional to me. Obviously he wanted our attention. You know I’m tired of their secrecy and antics. I trust that bunch about as far as I can throw them. If the Satanists need to deliver a message, they can send a text like everyone else. Despite what Father Nihil thinks, we don’t live in the Dark Ages anymore.” 

Anna agreed before they embraced and parted. It was only a short walk to her home, a small pink shotgun-style house. The vibrancy of the paint had faded long ago and the porch had a tendency to creak loudly underfoot. Nonetheless, it was cozy inside and had a certain well-loved charm. The olive bushes on either side of the front steps were particularly fragrant this day. She plucked a single white flower and inhaled as she walked inside. 

Anna locked the door behind her, sank down on her front room sofa, and pinched the bridge of her nose. As the liquor began to wear off, her sense of worry increased. There were a number of reasons the ghoul unnerved her. First, ghouls would normally come bearing a message. It hadn’t tried to talk to them. It just stared. What was the purpose? To frighten them?

Second, ghouls were often used to handle _important_ business, like relaying a confidential message from one high priest to another. They were controlled exclusively by the senior members of the Satanic Clergy. Anna retired from ceremonial witchcraft and as such, hadn’t been involved in any important magical business in several years. What did they want? She tapped her fingers swiftly on the arm of the sofa as she continued to ponder.

Unwelcome memories started to bubble up, reminding her there were other reasons she was suspicious of anything to do with the Church. She pushed the thoughts away.

_Alright, I need to get started,_ she thought to herself. She had placed protective charms around the house years ago, but the appearance of the ghoul made her concerned she may need a little extra firepower. 

She walked over to her storage cabinet and gently opened the doors. One shelf of herbs. One shelf of rocks and crystals. One shelf of grimoires. Candles of all different sizes and colors scattered throughout. A box of chalk. Several jars of salt. A scrying mirror covered by a black velvet cloth. Too many talismans to count. It was an occult menagerie. Anna pulled a small red volume down and flipped a few pages in. _Perfect._

She set the book down and began to close all the curtains around her house before getting started. 

***

Drawing seals and sigils was a labor of love. It was often the most tedious part of ritual work. Every ancient shape and letter delicately intertwined with one another, forming an intricate circular design. Despite being a tad rusty, Anna gazed down at the seal she had drawn by her front door and felt a touch of pride.

She then knelt down and closed her eyes, gathering up what energy she had left in her core. She slowly extended her hands over the center of the seal. 

“ _Imperium_.”

Nothing. 

“ _Imperium_ ,” she whispered again with more urgency. 

Still nothing. 

“God damn it.” She snatched the red volume again and reviewed the picture. In the past she could draw every detail from memory. That felt like a lifetime ago. 

“Ah!” Anna exclaimed as she noticed a tiny planetary symbol she missed and quickly added it in chalk. 

She leaned back and extended her hands over the circle once more. 

“ _Imperium._ ”

The sigil glowed for a moment before beginning to sizzle. Every individual character burned itself into the hardwood of Anna’s floor before seemingly disappearing. Where the sigil once laid, the floor now looked untouched. A wave of relief washed over her. Success. 

She went about activating the sigils in the other parts of the house (kitchen, bedroom, back patio, and even the bathroom). For good measure, she sprinkled a little salt in all corners as well. Better safe than sorry. 

The rest of the evening passed normally. No strange feelings of being watched came over her as she cooked dinner or cleaned the kitchen. She was, on the other hand, acutely aware of how badly she needed a bath. The day was hot and any sort of ritual work had a certain draining effect. So she stripped off her clothes and filled up her tub. The tension that had been coursing through her body finally melted away in the hot water. 

Behind her eyelids, Anna replayed the dream she’d had last night:

_There was a man. His face was blurred. His frame was slender, but strong. He was clad in a black suit, while Anna was completely naked. She felt his hot breath on her neck before the press of his lips. His hands explored every curve and sensitive spot. Even in the dream, her eyes closed, so she could enjoy the sensation of his body against hers. His fingers found their way between her legs._

Anna couldn’t resist any longer and slid her hand under the water to touch herself. 

_He circled her clit gently, and a sigh escaped her mouth. The kissing at her neck grew ravenous, sucking and lovebiting as his fingers kept the perfect rhythm. She grabbed his hand and brought it up to her mouth. She noticed a scar in the shape of a square on his palm. She sucked from the base to the tip of his middle finger and then carefully guided his hand back down, so he could slide it inside her. She resumed rubbing her clit while he worked his finger in and out, pressing upwards ever so slightly to put pressure on her g-spot._

Her breath quickened. She was close to-

THUD.

Anna’s eyes shot open. She remained frozen in the bathwater and listened for other sounds. 

Silence. The clock ticked softly from the hallway. She focused with all her might on the door handle and whispered, “ _Clausum_ ”. It locked itself softly. As quietly as she could, she stood up and stepped out of the tub. She wrapped a towel around herself and strained to hear.

Her heart hammered in her chest. Her defensive magic was entirely out of practice. She used little magics around the house all the time: a quick incantation to retrieve a bowl from a high shelf or a little spell to start the coffee maker. But summoning the force to throw a grown man across the room at a moment’s notice? Like trying to run a marathon after being in a coma. She was pretty sure her sigils would work, but not completely confident. All she had to defend herself with was a toilet plunger. 

Anna had no idea how many minutes had passed. Grimacing slightly, she gripped the plunger and straightened her shoulders. 

“Is someone there?” Anna shouted, trying to sound as commanding as possible. 

A long pause followed. 

“Release me,” a voice called back. The timbre was horrific, nearly inhuman. As if the vocal cords went through a garbage disposal and were haphazardly pieced back together with steel. 

So the sigils DID work. Anna unlocked the bathroom door, fingers still tightly wrapped around the plunger. She stepped out into the hall and had a direct view to the ghoul in her living room, trapped within the circle that was glowing once again from the floorboards. It was not the same creature from earlier in the day. This one was shorter and slightly stockier. 

“What are you doing in my house?”

“I come bearing tidings from the Church.” Ghouls always seemed to have an oddly formal manner of speech. 

“And you just barged in without knocking? My door was locked, so are you bearing tidings or are you trying to break into my house?”

Anna walked into the living room and stopped several feet away from him. 

“Well?” she persisted. It was a moment before she glanced down and noticed the bump slowing forming in the front of his pants. A brief, curious fantasy floated through her mind. It looked… big. She tingled slightly as she thought about the climax she didn’t get to have. She lifted her brows and looked into the pitch black eye holes of the ghoul’s silver mask. 

“I guess it’s been a while for you, huh?”

Anna could almost feel the embarrassment radiating from him, but the mask and otherworldly voice made it impossible to tell. 

“I was sent ahead of His Holiness’ caravan.”

“Listen, you-” Anna broke off as his response set in. “His caravan?! Is he coming here?” 

As if on queue, a voice rang out from the front patio. 

“Anna, my dear! It’s been so long.”

Father Nihil, the head of the Church of Satan, waltzed through Anna’s front door. _Do the Satanists just not believe in knocking?_ she thought to herself. 

Nihil’s eyesight was failing in his old age, but he stopped in his tracks at the scene before him. Mouth slightly agape, he looked at the ghoul with a massive erection. Then at Anna, wrapped in a bath towel and still holding the plunger. Then at the ghoul again. Then finally settled on Anna. He cleared his throat uncomfortably.

“Is this a bad time?”

**Author's Note:**

> Corpse Reviver recipe, if anyone is curious!
> 
> Equal parts gin, triple sec, lillet blanc, and lemon juice. Probably about a shot glass of each. 
> 
> Add the above to a shaker with ice. I usually shake until the exterior of the shaker becomes very cold, nearly frosty. 
> 
> Rinse a glass out with Pernod or absinthe. I almost always use Pernod because it's cheaper and personally I'm a cheap drunk. 
> 
> Pour the mixture into the prepared glass and enjoy! Laissez les bon temps rouler!


End file.
